A Captured Slave
by dramaprincess15
Summary: Katara is captured by the FireNation, and forced into slavery in the homeland. Zutara. A response to t-rex989's challenge.
1. Chapter 1

Hey all you people out there in the Avatar fandom. This was a challenge submitted to me by t-rex989. I liked the idea, so I was like 'eh, what the hey'. So, here ya go!

Disclaimer: I do not own A:TLA

~~~~_Zutara_~~~~

Katara's POV:

Aang can be so stupid sometimes.

We agree to make a quick stop in one of the Fire Nation colonies to resupply. I try to find a place to buy s new water pouch, and what do they do in my absence? Leave without me. Did they even _notice _I wasn't there? Could they even _tell_ I wasn't with them? Honestly, sometimes I just don't know about those three. I hoped they would notice I'm gone and come back for me…but I looked for a place to stay for the time being.

There was a nice little cave near a waterfall. I thought it was perfect. I could have fresh water now, to bend with and to drink. I didn't have to worry about not hearing them over the roar of the falls; Appa's roar is louder than this one. The entrance to the cave was hidden by willow tree branches, and the area as a whole was surrounded with trees. It was a perfect hideaway. If I had to bend, no one would see me.

I spent a few nights in my little cave. Aang, Sokka, Toph, and Momo still hadn't returned on Appa. Maybe they forgot about me. The thought if this hurt. They needed me. I was their waterbender, their protector, their supervisor and supporter. But wait…Aang could waterbend fine now. Toph would be able to tell if someone was attacking him. And as for support…everyone who was against the Fire Nation supported them. I guess they don't need me. What use was I, anyway? Obviously not much.

A happier thought crossed my mind after I spent about two weeks in my little home. _Maybe they just forgot we came here. They'll remember eventually…_

I heard footsteps that night. My heart leaped with joy. I knew they didn't forget me. How could they? I raced out of my cave, not even bothering to check who my visitors were. Who else could it be?

Apparently, someone entirely different.

My arrivals were Fire Nation soldiers. Riding their rhino things, dressed in armor, helmets, and clad with spears, they looked formidable. I've never been that intimidated. I was by myself. I was wearing Fire Nation clothing, but maybe they'd seen me bending…

"Who are you?" the one in the middle asked me.

"Uh…Joo-Dee." I said, faintly remembering my brainwashed tour guide from Ba Sing Se.

The man in the middle - the leader, I supposed, of the group of about five men – cleared his throat. "Well, Joo-Dee, what are you doing out here, all by yourself? You look young. Shouldn't you be in school? Or, by now, at home?"

I did some fast thinking. "My parents abandoned me, sir, when I was very young…I've traveled all over the Fire Nation, making lean-to homes for myself…I prefer to be alone, to be with nature. And I'm much older than I look sir, I promise you that." I made my face look as innocent as possible when I said that last part. School? In the Fire Nation? No way. Aang might be able to do it, but I couldn't.

"Hmm…" The leader stroked his beard. He had lifted his helmet, so I could see his face. The veins in his head stuck out a bit, and my hands got a little twitchy. It was almost the full moon, only a few days left to go, but my hands wanted to bend early. They wanted to control the man, to control all fluid around me…I fought this feeling back. It wasn't like me. Hama had thrust the technique on me. It was so cruel…yet the way she had forced it on me made it bloodthirsty…literally and figuratively.

"How long have you been on your own?" the man asked. I jumped a little at his question. Let's see, I have to make myself older…

"About twelve years, sir." I said smoothly, adding on an extra two years from my actual age.

"All that time? By yourself? I don't know, I don't like it. That's not sanitary. Young lady, I think I have to send you to a doctor, and report you to security." The man said, without a hint of going back on his decision.

My heart stopped cold. A doctor? I can handle that. But security…they're bound to have my picture somewhere. I panicked, and did the only thing I could think to do.

With a wave of my hand, gallons of water rained down from the waterfall and onto the soldiers. Then I ran.

"She's a waterbender!" I heard one of them yell from behind me.

"Well?" yelled the leader, "Don't just stand there! FOLLOW HER!"

The rhinos thundering feet made the ground shake and my pace became uneasy. I had endurance, but no speed. I was tripping over my feet every few steps. Beside me, flames shot out from someone's hand. I screamed. The ground beneath my fete started to warm up, and I jumped for my life and a geyser came out of the ground. I went to get up and regain my escapade, but I couldn't move. I think I twisted my ankle. The soldiers caught up to me and threw chains around me. I was captured.

They took me to one of their ships not far from the waterfall. They led me onboard, paying no attention to the moans I gave with each step, thanks to my ankle. It hurt so much. I couldn't even bear to stand, let alone walk.

There were cells in the ship. I took a deep breath, and coughed. The air was dry. These were like the cells Hama described, suspended in the air and away from all sources of water. This apparently was not the ship that had taken Hama, because the men wore standard uniforms and made no precautions against bloodbending. If I was on this ship for a few days, I could break free. My hands twitched again as they led me into my cell.

I won't be here for years like Hama had been. In a few days' time, I'll be free.

Freed by the very guards assigned to keep me captured.

~~~~_Zutara_~~~~

That last line was something of a Hama quote. I loved her. She was a crazy old woman, but I loved her. *sigh*…at least she's not dead. Unlike my _other _favorite character *R.I.P. Jet*

Well, R&R and tell me what you think. Obviously Katara has just been captured by evil Fire Nation soldiers :O can she escape? Will she actually act like the insane old woman who was her mentor? Will Sokka realize his sister's missing? The answer to these questions, and more, next time you check back to this story:)

Byee! Oh, and Happy New year!


	2. Chapter 2

The last chapter was kind of…rocky, I guess. Didn't go as well as I planned, but I hope this one is better.

~~~~_Zutara~~~~_

I've been in this wretched cell for about three days now. The full moon comes tomorrow. Every night I'm getting stronger. I can't wait.

What's wrong with me?

Maybe it's the prison. Hama seemed sane before she was captured. Yes, it must be being locked up like this. Waterbenders aren't used to this lack of freedom and water to this degree. Dry air, yet cool enough for no sweat. No regular water, except when my hands are bound and tied. And all these precautions are for me, as most of the prisoners (from what I assume) aren't benders at all. This is torture.

On a more positive note (if you want to call it that), I got a new cell neighbor this morning. It's a young man, who keeps trying to talk to me. I'm in such a bad mood I just turn away. Not to flatter myself, but I keep thinking he's hitting on me. I really hope not; from the way he talks I'm getting the feeling he's really creepy. He's quiet right now. I think he fell asleep actually.

The prison floor is quiet except for the sound of the guards' feet shuffling as the do their daily rounds to make sure we're behaving. It's dark down here. Poorly lit. I've seen some fire nation ships; they can be pretty nice. I guess we just got stuck in the bum level of the ship. Being stuck here has really put a pessimistic twist in my attitude. I haven't even bothered talking to anyone.

It's midday, judging from the position of the sun (I'm fortunate enough to get the cell with the window above it), but I'm exhausted. That's one of my main problems. I haven't told Aang this, or Toph, or even Sokka for that matter, but I'm a night person. I'm dead on the inside during the day because I don't have as much energy as I do at night. I only pretend to because that's when everyone else is most awake. Sometimes if I really can't force myself to sleep, I practice my waterbending. It's best at night, which is good. Right now I'm fighting to keep my eyes open. That guy next to me is still asleep, and I'd rather fall asleep when he's awake so I don't have to ignore him. But it's so quiet…

"Morning, Sunshine. Or should I say, evening?"

I blink my eyes open and look up at the ceiling window. It is about early evening; the sky's all pink and yellow. It's that time of day when firebenders and earthbenders and airbenders and waterbenders are all on equal ground. The sun and the moon are about even, and the air and the earth are the same as always, putting us on fair playing fields. But as soon as the moon rises, the scales are tipped in my favor.

The guy next to me was who greeted me. I grunted back an incoherent response. I wasn't in the mood for talking, as was now my custom.

He wasn't taking no for an answer. "Are you really ignoring me again? Care to tell me why?"

I didn't give him an answer. Hopefully, he'll use his brains and get the message. I don't want to talk.

"Come _on, _Katara. What's your deal?"

Katara. _Katara. _He knows my name. I whip my head around to demand to know how they got my name, but my words caught in my throat. I recognized this man. "Haru!" I yelled.

The earthbender smiled at me. He had grown a moustache; it looked pretty decent, but I couldn't help but giggle at it. He looked older. It was probably the first time I've smiled since before my capture. "You didn't know I was here? I guess that explains why you weren't talking to me. How've ya been?"

"Fine. Or, as fine as a person can be in a fire nation ship prison." I responded, making sure to drip my words with resentment.

"I know. You've been here longer than me, I'm guessing. Am I right?" he asked.

"Yeah, but only by a couple days."

"Know where we're headed?"

I bit my lip. "No, I don't. The guards haven't said anything to me. Well, except when they tie my hands together so I can get water."

Haru nodded seriously. "I know. I saw that. They must consider you a pretty big threat. But I was hoping that maybe you'd heard them say something…"

I grabbed the bars of my cell. "Not a single word. But tell me, how did you end up here?" I was curious. Haru usually played it pretty safe, or at least he did when he was nearly persecuted in his home town.

Haru grimaced. "It's kind of a long story."

"I've got time."

"Of course you do. Well, it started when my dad and I were leaving this one earth kingdom town which was on the brink of becoming a fire nation colony. We knew of some earthbenders there, and we were trying to start up a rally against the soldiers. We got a pretty good outcome, and the rally was set for two days later. As we were leaving our little 'conspiracy group', as the guards called it, we were ambushed. One guy – the leader, I guess – commanded us to stop where we were and no one would get hurt. He said he knew what we were, and he said the word 'earthbenders' with such disgust and distaste that I lost my temper and shot one guy off his rhino thing with a chunk of rock. Needless to say, they attacked us. My dad got away, thanks to some of the guys from the group we were trying to get together. They heard the noise. Unfortunately, they forgot me. I surrendered to save my life and got stuck here."

My hand was to my mouth when he finished. "I'm so sorry. You're really brave for trying to stop a town from being colonized. It's a shame you're stuck here now."

Haru shrugged. "Yeah, well…thanks. Now how did _you _get stuck in here? I would imagine, if you were attacked, Appa or Aang would have helped you…"

"They weren't exactly there…" I told him. I launched into how they had forgotten me in a town, how I had made myself a little cave home, how the soldiers kindly paid me a visit, and how I blew my cover when they tried to take me to the doctors and send me to school. "…and then I tripped and fell and they caught up to me and now here I am." I finished. "Not exactly as heroic as your story."

Haru laughed. "Wow, Katara. You have a problem with doctors or something?"

"No!" I snapped. "I just…didn't feel like going with them. I can heal myself; I don't need any help from a 'professional'."

Haru just kept chuckling.

-_3 hours later-_

It was around nine o'clock, when the guards came down the aisle. They were unlocking everyone's cells. I could hear yelling from the top deck; we must have gotten to port. The guards were shouting orders at everyone as their cells unlocked.

"Everyone in a single-file line!"

"No funny business or you'll stay here until your bones rot and are fed to the rats!"

"You two –", one guy said to me and Haru, "-better follow orders. Any bending, any whim you act on to escape, and you'll be locked up for so long you'll die of old age. Or of lack of food." He said, laughing. We looked at each other and followed him out of the prison level, onto the deck, and out the ship. Our hands were once again chained up. In a straight line, we were led away from the port, where three female soldiers addressed us.

"Welcome," said the one in the middle, "To the homeland. I am Ai Jing, captain of the Phoenix brigade in the fire nation army. As of right now, you are all slaves of the fire nation, its army, and its government. Every one of you will be the personal servant of someone of high ranking in society, or a helper in fields during this time of planting, or a cleaner or housemaid. Do not argue with me. I will not hesitate to send you prison for the rest of your life, nor will I hesitate to kill you on the spot or have you sent to your death. Now, tomorrow morning, you will all report to the prison courtyard to find out where you will be assigned. You will spend the night in the jail. Sleep well; you've got a long day ahead of you." And with that, she left.

The guards turned back to us. "All right, you heard her! Everyone – this way!"

We followed the guards to the jail. Great. Back in a cell. And this time, I wouldn't get the chance to break free. I tossed and turned all night on my wall cot, trying not to believe that I was a slave now.

Oh, Aang, where are you?

~~~~_Zutara_~~~~

I hope you liked it. I wanted to put Haru in there. I like his moustache. But- *gasp* Katara's a slave! Nooooo! Actually, this could be fun…slaves are already under the power of their master, but who's her master…?

Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: hey there. I forgot to mention, the name "Ai", according to a website, means 'loving'. So, naturally, I made it the soldier's name. A little background info, Ai's been trying to live down her name her whole life XD. You really didn't need to know that, or at least I don't think you do…

Anyway, another shout-out to t-rex989 for the challenge. This is fun to write.

~~~_zutara~~~_

Dawn came at a snail's pace. I tossed and turned all night. It felt like morning would never come, and I hoped and prayed it wouldn't. I tried so badly to fall asleep, to make myself believe that every time I closed my eyes I would open them to see Aang and Sokka and Toph laughing at me for sleeping so long. I tried everything I could (considering I was in jail) to give myself hope. Any hope I had given myself was lost when the sun started rising.

When the guards started opening cells and dragging everyone awake, I decided to save them the trouble of yelling at me. I stood patiently behind my bars and waited for one of them to let me out. There was no point in doing anything else; I had my life to think about. The guard yelled at me anyway. He was really very rude.

Once everyone was awake, we were again led single-file to where Ai Jing was standing, flanked by her two cronies. She smiled at us. "I see you're all awake. Now, for your assignments." She whipped out a clipboard.

Haru was standing a couple people to my left. I stole a glance at him. His face was blank. I said nothing, and turned my gaze back to Ai Jing.

"I want all the women over the age of twenty to come forward please."

I let go of the breath I had been holding. I'm fourteen. About thirteen or so women who fit the age requirement nervously walked forward. Ai Jing smiled at them. "All of you are to work as housemaids either in the palace or in a council member's home. Let's see…" she studied them. "I want…you six to go with Jiayi. She's the women to my right. She will escort you to various council members' houses. Now, follow her and get out of my sight!" she snapped. The small group hastily followed their new leader.

"The rest of you," Ai began again, when the six left, "will stay here and follow me to the palace. You will work as housemaids there. I want not a word said while I tell the rest of this group where they are going."

She turned back to us. She must not be a morning person. The smile she had given us earlier was most likely not going to be seen again. "I want all the males, from the ages of fifteen and older, to follow Qiang. She will take you to the factories, where you will work making weapons to supply the Fire Nation army."

Haru walked forward with most of the men in this group. I felt tears sting my eyes. The only person helping me through this was now taken away from me. He turned and gave me an apologizing glance, as if it was his fault he was leaving me. I gave him a small smile, to give him false reassurance that I would be okay. It was also, partially because I needed to reassure myself. Qiang led the men down a path and away from us, and soon they were gone.

I was doomed.

Ai Jing spoke again. "The rest of you, come here."

There were about four people left. A girl, no older than seven; I took one look at her and immediately felt sorrow. There was another young girl and a boy, probably twins, from the looks of them; I'd place them at twelve or eleven years old. Actually, they looked like they could be the little girl's older siblings. That would make a bit more sense than her being here on her own. And then there was me. I was easily the eldest of the group. That must be why Ai singled me out first.

"You," she pointed at me, "Give me your name."

"Katara." I said. I was shocked by how steady my voice came out sounding.

"Katara…" she mused. "Watertribe, I'm guessing?"

I nodded. She will _not _shame me out of my nationality. Nothing could. I'm Watertribe and proud of it.

"Ah…you must be the waterbender the guards warned me about. Am I correct?"

I didn't answer.

"I said, am I correct?"

No answer. My defiance is bound to get me in trouble. And it did.

"You pathetic peasant, when I speak to you, you answer me!" she slapped me across the face. I could feel my cheek sting and begin to turn red. I fought back the tears that came to my eyes. I few of the women behind us gasped.

"Now. Let's try again. Are you the waterbender?"

"Yes," I mumbled, not looking at her.

"I thought so. I guess that means you need a special assignment, don't you?"

It was a rhetorical question, so I looked up to prove I acknowledged her. I didn't need any more humiliation.

"Let's see then…why don't you and the other children, follow me to the palace? They can be assistants to the housemaids. Except for you," she pointed at the twelve year-old girl, "I want you and _Katara _here," she said my name with disdain, as if she were speaking of mud, "to be personal assistants to some of the high-ranking members of society. No complaints. Now, follow me."

Then ten of us followed Ai down a path that went the opposite direction as Haru had gone. I looked down the whole time, upset. One of the older women walked beside me. After a few minutes of awkward silence, she spoke to me. "I'm Watertribe too," she said. I looked up at her, surprised. She smiled down at me. "My name is Xueman. I'm from the Northern tribe."

I smiled at her, happy I'd found a friend. "I'm from the Southern tribe. I'm the last waterbender from there." I looked away from her. That was one of the painful things I'd grown up with. People depended on me because I could do more than they could. But even then, I couldn't do much.

Xueman frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that our sister tribe has deceased. Wait a minute –" Xueman looked at me, shocked.

"What?" I asked, nervous I had done something wrong.

"A few months ago that Avatar and two of his friends came to the Northern tribe. One of them was a waterbender form the South Pole. Waterbending master Pakku said that she was one of his best students, ever. You wouldn't happen to be…?"

My face broke out in a huge smile. Last I heard, Pakku was in the South, trying to help our half-dead tribe. I missed him. Hopefully he and Gran-Gran are back on good terms. "Yes, that would be me." I told her. She smiled at me. For the rest of the time walk we talked about the Siege of the North Pole, which (according to her), the battle had come to be known by.

I was feeling a lot better. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Xueman would be in the palace, too, so I could talk to her if I had any problems. I lost some of my new-found hope when I saw the palace, looking elite and formidable at the same time. I gulped.

"Welcome," Ai Jing said, as she had when we first met her, "To your new home."

~~~_zutara_~~~

Hey. Little info: again, according to a website, Xeuman means 'snowy grace' *Watertribe- snow- get it?), Qiang means 'strong' (Factories- even though Qiang means strong for boys. lol) and Jaiyi means 'household fitting' (household maids) I hope that website was right :/ anyway, thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

Here is chapter 4. Sorry it took a couple weeks. Basketball takes up my life sometimes :/.

Disclaimer: I do not own A:TLA

_~~~Zutara~~~_

If the outside of the palace looked ominous, the inside was even worse. To a Fire Nation citizen, it looked positively elite and upscale. To anyone else, me especially, it was a prison. The Fire Nation insignia was draped all over the place, along with dragon paintings and lion turtle statuettes. There was even a fountain inside, but Ai told me plain and simple that if I even _tried_ to use the water, I wouldn't see the sun – or the moon – ever again. I'm taking that threat to heart, at least for now.

As Jaiyi led us around the palace (Ai had left us in her care to go do her more important duties), full realization of where I was hit me. I was going to be a servant in the Fire Lord's _home. _If Aang ever found me, I could probably give him loads of useful information that he might need. I might even get to be in his office or wherever they hold their meetings. There's bound to be some sort of document I can lay my hands on.

Wait a minute. If this is where Ozai lives, then doesn't –

"And this," Jaiyi gestured towards a door, "Is where The Fire Lord's daughter, Princess Azula, rests. I believe Ai told me that one of you is going to be her personal assistant."

I groaned. For the love of Waterbending, I will _not _be her servant. _Nothing, _and I mean _nothing, _will make me serve that beastess.

Jaiyi heard my groan. "Is there a problem?" she asked.

I held my head up. "Of course not," I said. I didn't want her to know I had a…problem…with the beloved princess. If I could, I would keep myself out of Azula's sights. She's bound to recognize me, and she'll just do something to get me into trouble. If I lay low, and out of her way, I could probably search her room for something. I don't want to go back to Aang and Sokka and Toph empty-handed.

Speaking of the princess…isn't there a prince? Zuko was the Crown Prince, until he was banished. I have no idea what happened to him after Ba Sing Se, though. He might have gone home with Azula. Or maybe he was thrown into prison. I voiced this question to Jaiyi, to see what she would say.

"Yes, we do have a prince. Prince Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. When the Fire Lord resigns or dies, the Prince will take his place. He and the Princess are at a meeting I believe, but they will be back later. Now, let's move on." Jaiyi led us away from Azula's room and down another hallway.

So Zuko's living at the palace again. He's probably ecstatic. Finally, after all these years, he was back where he wanted to be. He's probably basking in the glory of being a prince again. And he's attending meetings; people now value his opinion and presence again. I bet people simply _fawn _over him and Azula for 'killing' Aang.

It's really weird to think about this, but all my more personal Fire Nation enemies – Azula, Zuko, Mai, and Tylee – were all teenagers just living their lives here. Seeing me here, as a servant, will immediately cause suspicion among them. They all know my face pretty well, seeing as they all relentlessly hunted down Aang, and I happened to be there with him. I can't wait to see their reactions when they see me.

While I was thinking of all of this, Jaiyi had finished the tour. She walked us to another room she called the servants' quarters. It was a pretty big room. There were dozens of beds; I would probably get my own, and have to share a dresser. That wouldn't be so bad. There were about five bathrooms (it looked like there were a lot of slaves), so that won't be a big issue. A couple women and children (there was another boy, so the boy in our group won't be totally alone) were in a corner of the room folding clothes. They didn't look too unhappy.

Jaiyi pointed to the available beds and told us to pick one. I picked one near Xueman, so I wouldn't feel so alone. "Your uniforms are in the dressers", she said, "Except for you two." She pointed at me and the young girl who was singled out earlier. "You two are going to be personal assistants, so you'll have different outfits so we can tell you apart. There are a few hanging in the closet back there; go pick one out that fits."

The young girl and I walked toward the closet Jaiyi was referring to. Gingerly, I pulled an outfit off the rack. The girl was behind me and hesitant to do so. I looked down at the garment in my hands.

No _way _am I wearing this.

It's not even a full outfit! It's like a metal bikini! My stomach will be completely exposed, as will my arms and most of my legs. A single red sheet dangling from the center of the bottom half of the bikini is my only real coverage. The shoes aren't that bad, though. They're brown boot-like things. At least they're not sandals, or worse, heels. Along with the outfit are several bracelets and bands. The whole thing is gold.

The girl behind me took one look at my face of horror and ran out of the closet. I stepped out behind her, slowly, the 'uniform' still in my grasp. I looked at Jaiyi. She seemed to be smirking. "I…_can't _wear this." I told her.

"Too bad; you have to. No complaints. Now, you and the girl get changed, I have to give you your assignments." Jaiyi told us sternly. The other women gave us pity glances as we reluctantly stepped into separate bathrooms to change.

It's not that I looked bad wearing this. On the contrary, I looked great. But it wasn't great as in beautiful, it was great as in…not a good-girl kind of thing. I looked like a skank. I was reminded of Jun, that girl with that weird bear thing with the snout and paralyzing tongue. Oh, god, I do _not _want to resemble her.

"Very pretty." Jaiyi smirked when I stepped out, the twelve-year-old coming out seconds later. She looked positively mortified. I felt so bad for her; she was young. She was only Aang's age, if you took away his extra hundred years.

"Now, girls, follow me to meet your new masters." Jaiyi walked swiftly out of the room.

I didn't like her use of the term "masters". I hoped whoever I got had at least a shred of kindness in them. That'd probably be asking for too much though, if you're talking about the Fire Nation.

The little girl was dropped off at Azula's room, and I felt even more badly for her. That is the worst luck you could have. If I see her again tonight, I'll school her on how to act around the demon princess. Azula apparently wasn't home, however, so the girl had to go inside and wait for her. I could only imagine Azula's reaction when she came into her room and saw a little girl in a metal bikini waiting for her. She'd probably be happy when she found out the child was her slave.

I was led to another room on the other side of the palace. If we had stopped by here on our tour, I didn't remember it. My new boss wasn't home either, so Jaiyi told me to go inside and wait, and then she left me.

The room was beautiful. Gold and red wallpaper and tapestries hung all over the walls and from the ceiling. Hanging above a dresser was a pair of broadswords, in good condition. Paintings were all over the walls. One in particular was beautiful; it looked like a tribute to a woman who had passed. I did not recognize her, though I had the feeling I had heard about her somewhere. A small statue of a lion turtle stood on a pedestal in the corner. In the middle of the room was a giant bed with a red canopy. From the window you could see the palace garden, blooming with flowers and trees and decorated with fountains and statues. It was a very pretty view.

As I was staring, I heard the knob turn. I brushed myself off and got ready to introduce myself to my new 'master'. I rolled back my shoulders and held my head high, to prove I had some dignity (even wearing this outfit). You never get a second chance to make a good first impression, as they say.

The owner of the room didn't even look at me at first. He just took his hair down and let it fall into his eyes. The red scar on the side of his face was plainly seen from my angle. My heart had already started beating faster. I reached behind me for something to hold on to, because I was losing my balance, but there was nothing behind me. I fell backwards into the wall.

Zuko looked up at me in shock. His eyes widened as he looked at my face.

"Um, hi," I said awkwardly, "I'm your new servant."

~~~_Zutara~~~_

The idea for the metal outfit is from "Katara as Leia" on DeviantART. Go check it out. It's a star wars parody of princess Leia.

Okay, little heads up here: I have no set schedule for updating as of now. Basketball playoffs start, as is softball (for some strange reason, we start now), and all my stuff for my new school next year is happening now. So, it may be a couple weeks between chapters. Thanks for reading so far, though!


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry it took so long, everyone. My computer was being mean. Also, I had some other stuff for my new school next year. But anyway, I'm back again:)

Disclaimer: Avatar:TLA belongs to the guys who designed it (I forget their names…Mike& Bryan I think?)

_~~~Zutara~~~_

Zuko looked like he was in a state of shock. Awkward silence was already beginning to fill the room. I stood up hastily and brushed myself off. Then I just decided to lean against the wall and wait for him to speak.

"You're…my…what?" he finally asked.

"Servant," I repeated, "or personal assistant."

"Personal assistant…" he muttered. He dazedly walked over to his bed and sat down, running his hands through his hair. I stayed where I was because I didn't want to go anywhere nearer to the ex-banished prince.

Suddenly Zuko's head snapped up. He jumped up and ran to the door, slamming it shut. "How did you get here?" he demanded.

I was a little taken aback by his sudden hostility. But Zuko doesn't scare me. I stood up straight and looked him in the eye as I retold the story of my kidnapping. He scowled when I was finished.

"How come you're _my _personal assistant?" he asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know; I didn't ask for you. Believe me; I don't want to be here at all."

He exhaled a long breath through his nose. "Since you have to listen to me…answer a few questions." He said.

I froze. I didn't actually think he would play that card. I thought since he knew me, maybe he would be a _bit_ nicer. I must have gone insane or something. It's _Zuko_, for crying out loud.

"…like what?"

"Okay, obviously, I have to set some rules first before I ask you anything. Rule number one: I don't want you here. I'll see if I can get someone else, but if I can't, let's make a deal: I'll send you away for as long as I can, I won't speak to you often, and I'll generally stay out of your way, _if_ you promise to stay out of mine. I don't care what orders Jaiyi gives you, you listen to mine first. Agreed?"

I thought about that. Basically, he won't give me much to do if I stay away from him. Hey, I'm fine with that. "Agreed."

He nodded his head. "Good. Rule two: If someone else is in here with me, _stay out._ Again, I don't care what Jaiyi says. You're my assistant, not hers."

"Believe me, I don't _want_ to be anywhere near you." I told him.

"Likewise," he said. "Now, rule three: If anything looks restricted or confidential, whether it is in here or anywhere else in the palace, keep your peasant -like hands off it. I know what you're thinking; you hope to find some useful information to relay back to your friends when – _if_ – you get out of here. That won't happen. The people here aren't fools; nothing important will be left around for you, or the other servants, to see. Remember that."

I scowled. The only good thing about being here was so that I could get something useful out of it. Well, Zuko stopped that before it started. That doesn't mean I'll always listen, however. What he doesn't know won't hurt him. "Is that it, _master?_" I asked him, purposely accenting the last word.

"No; don't take that tone with me."

"Are you SERI –" I started to yell, but he cut me off.

"Yes. I'm fine with a little sarcasm, but don't be rude and obnoxious. Do you actually want to make more trouble for yourself?"

I shut up and gave him a death glare. I wasn't being _that_ rude. He smirked. "Well, now that we got that out of the way, you need to answer my questions."

I sighed. "Fine. Go ahead."

"Tell me again the beginning of your story."

He must have found something wrong with what I said. Well, I wasn't lying. I don't really see anything wrong with what I had said. "That's not a question." I told him.

"I thought you'd say that." Zuko took a few steps closer to me. I instinctively backed away.

"You're hiding something…and I know what." He said.

I backed away even more. He found a problem with my story…but what kind of – _oh_. I told him Aang and Sokka left me behind while they were shopping. I told him Aang's still alive. Oh, no, no, no. This is bad.

"The Avatar is alive…how?" he asked me.

I vigorously shook my head. "He's not. He's dead. You're wrong."

He smirked. "Sure I am…and he _is_ alive. He _will_ be dead. I'll see to that."

And with that, Zuko left his room.

I stood there for a few minutes longer, staring at the spot where Zuko had been standing over me. I was shaking. What had I just done? Had I just condemned Aang? Zuko will tell the whole Fire Nation. I'll be his proof. This is bad. "Aang," I said out loud, "I'm sorry. Stay safe, _please_."

Please?

~~~_Zutara~~~_

Okay, on top of no time to write, I'm experiencing writer's block, the worst disease known to man :O . So, this chapter was just kind of…a filler, I guess. Zuko's just giving Katara the rules and recovering from his initial shock. I wanted to wait a while, but I have no idea how long I'll be brain dead, and I didn't want to go on hiatus. I'll try to make the next chapter better, pinkie-promise.


	6. Chapter 6

Bonjour, my friends. Well, the last chapter was, in my opinion, awful. I had to rush it, because I was having trouble with everything, from my schedule, to Word, to my computer, to fanfiction itself. Ugh, it was bad. But, I am back!:)

~~~~_Zutara~~~~_

Several days have passed since my first arrival at the palace. Zuko kept his promise and sent me on tasks that would keep me as far away form him as possible. I've only had the misfortune of running into Azula once. I've yet to meet Ty Lee and Mai.

Being stuck here isn't as bad as you would think. Yes, it is terrible (for me especially), I'm fed well and have a bed to sleep in and friends to talk to. At the least, it's better than the cave behind the waterfall.

During the day I run errands for Zuko or just walk around the palace grounds. It's really pretty here, especially at this time of year. At night Xueman and I shared stories about our separate water tribes. My sleep wasn't well, and I frequently had trouble even closing my eyes.

I had gotten to know the names of most of the other servants. Some people I haven't even gotten to talk to, like Azula's personal assistant. Azula's got her running all over the place, and she only comes back to our room to sleep. A couple people in charge of the dining room also aren't usually around; they've got to set up the table for breakfast bright and early, clean it, set it for lunch, clean it again, set it for dinner, clean it again, and then prepare the meals for tomorrow. Sometimes they don't walk in until really late, because Ozai usually eats well after sundown.

Right now Zuko sent me to deliver a message to one of the gardeners. He wants his window view to be less…flowery. Apparently, Zuko doesn't like anything that brightens the mood around here.

I am still getting used to this giant place. I took a wrong turn and ended up in the dining room. I decided to ask one of the helpers in here for directions, because wandering around isn't something I fancy doing, should I accidently run into Azula. I walked back to the kitchen. One of the waitresses was walking out as I was walking in, and we crashed. The plates and forks in her hands clattered to the ground. One broke.

"Look at what you did!" she yelled.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"Ugh, it's fine. Just…watch where you're going, okay? And if you're going to bump into someone, please don't make it me."

"Why're you so special?" I snapped.

The girl raised her head. "I happen to be a Ky – oh my God."

She knew me, and I knew her. My face broke into a huge smile as I yelled, "Suki!"

"Katara!" she yelled. I hugged her, grinning so much my face hurt.

"What are you doing here?" she asked me, still smiling.

I rolled my eyes. "It's a long story. I'll tell you some other time, and then you can tell me why _you're_ here. How does a Kyoshi Warrior get captured?"

"She meets Azula." Suki scowled. I understood enough.

I was about to ask her for directions to wherever the gardeners were when one of the chefs inside poked his head out. "Suki!" he shouted. "What's taking you so long?"

Suki flinched a bit. "Uh…nothing. I'll hurry up."

"You had better, or – " the chef froze. His eyes wandered to the ground, where the plates and forks still lay scattered, and the pieces of the broken plate were everywhere. The chef didn't look happy. His voice came out slowly. "You broke a plate?" he asked her.

"It wasn't my fault!" she shrieked. I hadn't seen Suki this worried, ever.

"Inside!" the chef ordered. Suki didn't move. She seemed unable to. "_Now!_ I've had enough of your problem causing! It's time I did something with you. _Now get inside!_"

Suki scrambled through the kitchen door. The chef turned to me and seemed to only just notice my presence. That doesn't mean he was any nicer, though.

"What do you want?" he snapped at me.

"I need directions to the gardens." I squeaked.

One of the other waiters came to the door. He ushered the chef back inside and answered for him. "Down the hall, make a left, and you should see a door that'll lead you to the front doors. Go through the front, make a left, then another left, and you'll see the gardens. Got that?"

"Um…yeah. Thanks." I said, and hurried out of the dining room. Even from where I was I could hear Suki getting yelled at. I hadn't even seen her for five minutes and she's already probably not allowed to interact with other people anymore. I felt so bad. It was my fault she was in trouble. But, to be fair, that guy was _mean. _I don't know if Suki has a record here or anything, but did he really have to be so hard on her?

I found one of the gardeners and passed on Zuko's message. Unfortunately, I had to relay _another_ message back to Zuko. I don't even know where he _is_ right now. And, really, I don't think he'll care what kind of grass or tree gets planted outside his window. But, I can't speak for him.

I found my way back to Zuko's room easily enough. The door was open, and he wasn't there. That meant that I actually had to _find_ him. He could be anywhere! This place is _huge!_ He could be in the war meeting council room (and I don't know where that is), or the backyard, or out in town, or anywhere! But, according to my 'rules' (not the ones Zuko came up with, the ones that applied to everyone), I had to find him. So, I had better start looking.

It was a little while later, and I was about a quarter through the house, when I ran into Suki again. I wasn't anywhere near the dining room, so it struck me odd. Nevertheless, I was happy to see her alright. "Suki!" I called, as she had her back to me. She didn't turn. I ran up to her. "Suki?" I asked.

She turned her head, and I immediately knew something wasn't right.

Her eyes were blank and staring. She stood perfectly straight. Her face was emotionless. Her words were cold. "I need to get back to my duties. Do not disturb me." And she turned and walked off again. She didn't even seem to know me.

I was upset. I was worried. What happened to Suki? I considered running after her, but something told me she wouldn't be any different. But there was another thing. Something about her manner struck me as familiar. I remembered seeing it somewhere, on someone else…

Realization hit me. Suddenly, I had a new reason to find Zuko. Out of everyone here, he would know what was going on, and probably be the only one to tell me. If he told me. He knew me, and that was all I had to go by, and I hoped it was enough.

I ran through the castle, checking every room and asking anyone I saw if they'd seen him. Darn prince didn't seem to be anywhere in this place. This would take me all night, and I'm not even halfway through the castle.

I decided to just wait until Zuko arrived back at his room. I'll wait all week if I have to. It's that important.


	7. Chapter 7

I am so so so sorry for my absence. I'll try to get back on track. Again, my sincerest apologies.

_~~~~Zutara~~~~_

I must have fallen asleep while waiting for Zuko. However, I didn't wake up in his room. I woke up in the servants' quarters. Now how I got there, I have no idea; I certainly didn't walk there. I just assumed that one of the other servants carried me; all of the children were given special care for almost no reason. I hardly consider myself a child, though.

As soon as I was really awake, I ran to Zuko's room. I knocked on the door,and he answered almost immediately. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair was disheveled, and he generally looked like he hadn't slept. He scowled when he saw me.

"_What_ could you possibly need right now?" he asked me. Then, before I could answer, he added, "Did you ask the gardener to fix my view?"

This question annoyed me. Undoubtedly he had no idea I had been waiting up for him, but still, it bugged me. "Yes, and he wants to know what kinds of trees of grass he should plant in place of the flowers."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Tell him I don't care. He can plant whatever he feels like planting."

I nodded. He began to shut the door on me, but I held it open. Zuko groaned impatiently. "What else do you need?"

"You're such a complainer." I told him. "But I need to ask you something. Can I come in?"

He raised an eyebrow. "How important is this?"

"Very," I assured him.

"Fine. Be quick."

I walked into his room and leaned against the wall. He sat on his bed and waited for me to begin. I took a deep breath and decided where to start from.

"So I ran into someone I know here." I told him.

He didn't look surprised. "I'm sure you did; it's very likely someone you know was taken on as a worker here. They bring in new people every week."

"Well anyway, she's a very close friend of mine. Her name's Suki, and I actually think you met her once."

Zuko just stared at me. He probably had no idea who I was talking about.

"You burned down her village once." I reminded him.

Still nothing.

"The Kyoshi Warriors?" I tried again.

"Oh! You mean the girls with the face paint and the fans? Yeah I remember them. Suki…was she their leader? Yes? Okay, go on."

I rolled my eyes. My faith in Zuko was severely dropping with every word that came out of his mouth. I still needed help though. "Now, do you remember Jet? Actually, I don't think you ever met –"

"Oh, I met Jet." Zuko's face clouded over, so I didn't ask. I was a little surprised though.

"Um, anyway, do you remember the Dai Li?"

Zuko didn't say anything this time. I opened my mouth to fill him in when he held up his hand. "I know where this is going. I might as well just tell you, because only I know."

He took a deep breath and began his story. "Uncle and I were in Ba Sing Se for a while with you guys, which I'm sure you remember. I actually think we arrived around the same time. I met Jet on the way there. He…ended up having some problems with me. In an effort to turn me in to the guards, he had to mention his dislike for anyone of the Fire Nation, and he had to explain the war. Well, they didn't want the people of Ba Sing Se to know about the war, so they brainwashed him. I have no idea how you got mixed up into that, because obviously you did, because while I was down in Lake Laogi – you remember _that_ place, right? – I heard a commotion outside the room I was in. I was setting your stupid bison free. Yes, I was." He said when I looked completely shocked and unbelieving. "How else do you think he…never mind. Well anyway, you recall the incident with Azula, right? Well, after that whole ordeal, she brought home some souvenirs. Human souvenirs- Dai Li agents. They're around the palace somewhere. Azula has them keeping the workers under control."

I suddenly became very angry. "You mean…anyone who causes trouble is _brainwashed?_"

Zuko nodded. "That's exactly what I mean. Not the most orthodox way to keep the peace, but it hasn't affected me – yet – so I don't care."

"You don't _care?_" I almost shouted. "How can you not care? Your sister is crazy! And because of her, one of my closest friends isn't herself anymore!"

Zuko stood up. "Well, what do you want me to do about it? My sister _is _crazy, and she always will be, but what do you want me to tell you? Everything will be fine? Because it won't be. Nothing will ever be fine here. It's a prison for you and for me. I just got all my honor and glory and power back – but I can't order Azula to stop what she's doing, because I don't want to use that power. I _hate _it. So, so much."

He looked a little crazy himself, and I shrunk back into the wall. Zuko sighed, backed away from me, and collapsed back onto his bed. "I thought being back here would be great, but I think I liked it better when it was just Uncle and me. The power and honor I have right now doesn't feel right, and I don't want to use it. I'll use it when it's being used correctly by everyone else. But until then, you're on your own with your friend, because I can't – and won't – help you."

I didn't know what to say. I thought he _wanted _to be back at home, with people waiting on him hand and foot while the nation praised him and his family loved him again. But I guess everyone has secrets, and Zuko's has been eating him alive. When I found my voice again, I spoke softly to him.

"You could still help me. Secretly, obviously, because you can't get caught. Please. It would mean so much to me." I begged him.

He looked me straight in the eye. "What would I get out of it?" he asked.

"What do you want?"

He considered that for a moment. "To get out of here." He said finally.

"Then I'll help you figure out a way to do that. Just _please _help me."

Zuko let out a long sigh. "Fine, I'm in. but if I get caught, I'm blaming you. Nothing personal, but while I'm here I might as well act as though everything's fine."

I nodded. "I understand." I walked to the door and paused at the handle. "Thank you." I said without turning my head. He didn't answer.

I walked back to the gardens to deliver Zuko's message. As I walked back to the servants' quarters, I went out of my way to pass the dining room. Through the doors I could see Suki preparing breakfast for Ozai and his family. She moved like a puppet, controlled, mechanical and emotionless. My heart sank at the sight of her. I had Zuko helping me, but I wish I knew what to do for her.

~~~~_Zutara~~~~_


	8. Chapter 8

Is everyone enjoying summer? I am:). As like last time, I'm going to bother coming up with excuses for my lateness. But it's been over a month (a long time even for me), so I am very sorry. You guys – the readers – are awesome for putting up with me:) . thanks.

Disclaimer: I don't own A:TLA and the idea goes to t-rex989

~~~~_Zutara~~~~_

I haven't really talked to Zuko since I asked for his help (other than when he orders me around). To be honest, I don't know what to do to help Suki. I don't think he's come up with any ideas either. For all I know, he could have ordered a guard to follow me everywhere in case I do something against the rules. I hope he didn't betray me, though. I really feel like I need a friend.

I also have to come up with a way to get him out of here. How do you sneak the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation out of his own palace without anyone else knowing or seeing? Zuko was asking for a miracle. He's either really desperate or faking it.

The whole Dai Li brainwashing thing has really got me scared. Whenever I'm in the servants' quarters, I look around for someone else who might've been brainwashed. Every so often I see someone acting like nothing else matters but the work they're doing, and it freaks me out. One young woman who does the laundry walks around totally focused on her work, and she doesn't talk to anyone. I asked around and found out that she was one of the slaves who wanted nothing more than to leave. She and a few of her friends were caught trying to escape. None of them have been the same since. No one knows what happened.

Every time I pass buy the kitchen I become angry. I want to hurt that cook (who I occasionally hear yelling) and make him tell me where Suki was taken. I want to find those Dai Li agents and get rid of them. I want to free Suki and all the other brainwashed slaves. I want to get out of here feeling like I did something.

And I want Zuko's help.

I'm not sure why, but the thought of freeing slaves with Zuko makes me feel like I'm back saving the world with Aang. If he hadn't been chasing us around the world, Zuko might have been our friend. It would have been handy to have a firebender, waterbender, earthbender and airbender all in one group. Zuko might have been able to teach Aang a few tricks, too. I can just imagine him and Aang practicing while Toph and I hit them both with obstacles. Sokka would jump out from behind a rock in an attempt to perform a sneak attack on Aang and it would end up going horribly wrong. The four of us would laugh and Zuko might actually…smile.

If he didn't smile and stayed by himself (which would be extremely typical of him), I'd hit him in the head with my water whip. He'd look at me and flash an evil smile, and we would fake duel until we were out of breath, and then, finally, he'd start to laugh…

"Miss? Um…are you listening to me?"

Another servant's voice snapped me out of my daydream. I was walking down the hall in the direction of…where was I going? Oh right, to lunch…the servant was staring at me like I was crazy. I felt like I had just left reality and had been forcibly brought back. I found my voice and answered the servant. "I'm sorry, I just kind of…" I searched for a phrase to explain what I had been doing.

"Zoned out?" the servant said, cracking a smile. I nodded. "It's okay, I do it all the time so it doesn't feel like I'm wasting my life here…but anyway, are you Prince Zuko's assistant?" he asked me.

"That would be me," I told him.

"Well, he wants you back at his room immediately. He didn't say why."

My stomach jumped. Zuko must have come up with an idea. "Okay, thanks." I turned to go.

"Oh, by the way miss, where are you from?" the man asked me.

"Um, the South Pole…why?" I answered, confused.

"Watertribe, eh? That's what I thought. You and I should get together some time…" his eyes passed over me, and I felt my face grow hot. Stupid uniform.

"Um, right. Well, maybe, I guess…" I stammered as I (quickly) walked away. That guy was at least ten years older than me. I felt violated.

As I walked to Zuko's room, I passed by the kitchen/dining room. Suki was setting the table and placing glasses of water down behind each plate. The water gave me an idea. Hadn't I triggered Jet's memory with my Waterbending? Before I could really think, I walked into the dining room. Suki didn't look up.

One of the chefs saw me. "What is it? What do you want?" she asked, sounding agitated.

"Prince Zuko wishes to see Suki." I said, surprised at myself. I sounded completely sure of myself, though, and the chef bought it.

"Hmph, very well. Suki, go. We'll have someone else set the table."

Suki bowed to the chef, and I copied her. We walked out of the room, and down the hall. Hopefully no one noticed, but I stole some of the water out of one of the glasses, and it was wrapped around my wrist like a bracelet. When we were far enough away, I stopped walking. I held onto Suki's arm so she would stop, too, because she probably wouldn't have otherwise.

"Suki?" I tried.

She looked me straight in the eyes. "Yes?"

"Do you…remember me?" I asked her.

She frowned, but it looked like she was thinking, too. "You seem…familiar. Where have we met?"

"We're friends…and you used to like my brother…" I told her.

Her eyebrows shot up. "Is your brother tall, dark haired, Watertribe-looking and…I think he's funny?"

This surprised me. "Yeah, that's him. Why?"

Suki smiled. "He's one of the only things I really remember. I guess I have a bad memory."

I smiled at her. She remembered Sokka. He'd be happy to hear that. "Would you like to remember more?" I asked her.

She looked confused. "How?"

I took the water off from around my wrist and put it over my hands. Suki's eyes widened. "Are you allowed to do that?" she whispered.

I nodded. "The people in charge here want their workers to be in top shape. Obviously, a bad memory is a bit of a handicap…how can you remember all your orders?" I lied smoothly. Suki believed me.

I had her sit down and I knelt behind her. I placed my hands on both sides of her head and watched as the water began to glow. For about a minute or so, Suki kept her eyes shut. Her breathing was steady and quiet. I thought she fell asleep.

And then her eyes flew open. She stood up so fast the water fell from my hands. "Suki!" I scolded her.

"Yes, Katara?" she answered. I looked up to see her smiling at me. I jumped up and hugged her.

"Thank God that worked," I said. We broke apart, and I looked around. My eyes rested on a spot behind her, and I froze. Suki turned around to look as well, and she gasped.

Two chefs, a servant, and several guards stood at the other end of the hall. I backed away, and bumped into another guard who appeared behind me. The people at the other end of the hall walked forward, and soon we were surrounded.

"So," the head chef said in the same deadly voice he used when Suki broke a plate, "You're a waterbender. Weren't you told not to use your bending here?"

I nodded. I was completely frightened.

"I see," the chef said. "Then you are fully aware of the rules you are breaking, yes? And you stole the water from the kitchen so you could use it on your friend. Is that right?" he turned to the other chef, the one who I talked to earlier, and the servant. Both nodded.

"That's not true!" I shrieked, desperately.

"Oh, really? Tell us again what you saw, boy!" he looked at the servant.

The servant looked a little scared to be here. His voice trembled as he spoke. "Well, I-I was told to f-f-finish setting the table for lunch because Suki was busy. I noticed th-that one of the glasses had no water in it. I looked up in time to see that girl –" he pointed to me, "had it around her wrist."

The woman chef who I had spoken to earlier glared at me and ticked off the rules I had broken. "So… you lied, you stole, and you used your bending. _What_ are we going to do with you? Do the guards have any ideas?"

One of the guards smiled evilly. "I know exactly where to take her. Don't worry about that. You decide what to do with the other one." He nodded towards Suki, who hadn't spoken at all.

Two guards held me and dragged me away from Suki. The head chef was saying something about sending her to the Boiling Rock. I don't know what or where the Boiling Rock is, but it sounded scary. I felt horrible about what I had just done. Saving Suki wasn't worth this. She could _die_ at the Boiling Rock, whatever it was.

I felt thoroughly miserable the whole time I was being led by the guards. I had no idea where they were taking me. I vaguely wondered what Zuko had wanted earlier. Had he come up with a plan? Should I have listened and gone straight to him? If he thought of a plan to save Suki, he probably made it fool-proof (or as fool-proof as he could make it). I acted like an idiot and made it up as I went along.

I didn't really care where I was being taken until I noticed that I was heading downwards. It seemed like I was in a basement of some sort. A terrible feeling of horror grew inside me. The guards stopped in front of a heavy metal door with a small slot in the middle. They opened it and threw me inside. I thought it was a cell until I heard movement. Someone came up behind me, covered my mouth, and sat me down in a chair. A light turned on. I was looking at two Dai Li agents, who were staring back at me.

The light began to spin. The Dai Li agents started chanting the same phrases over and over again, and I focused on their words. The light started to spin faster and faster…

_~~~Zutara~~~_

*Gasp* what's happening to Katara? Can you guess? ;) .

There was some confusion regarding Katara's age. When she told the Fire Nation guards why she was one her own (remember that? all the way back in chapter one?) she was thinking that she could have been abandoned at age four (which is very young to her). She said she was abandoned twelve years. So, twelve and four is sixteen, two years more than her actual age. So, I made her fourteen. If she's not fourteen in the actual series, I apologize for my lack of knowledge :p .

Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

I have no excuses for the five month absence. Well, I do, but I'm not going to list them for you. Instead just try to enjoy this chapter:) . I also switch to Zuko's POV during this chapter. There's a little section of Katara and the rest is Zuko. Katara's been brainwashed, so she really doesn't have many thoughts about…well, anything.

Disclaimer: I don't own A:TLA.

~~~~_Zutara~~~~_

My name is Katara. I am fourteen years old and I was born in the South Pole as part of the Southern Water Tribe. I am currently in the Fire Nation, serving as the unpaid personal assistant to the Crown Prince, Prince Zuko. It is my duty to serve him and keep him happy.

I will do whatever I can to fulfill my obligations.

~~~~_Zutara~~~~_

Katara is late. Perhaps I didn't send for her properly. That man I sent probably has no idea who he's looking for. Honestly, the people they find to work in this house are 98% of the time completely incompetent. That's what happens when you pick people up off the streets.

I guess if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.

I sighed and walked to my bedroom door. I opened it just in time to see Katara with her hand raised, ready to knock for entrance. I scowled and stepped aside to let her in. "You're late," I told her, purposely sounding like I was extremely annoyed. That usually gets her mad, which I find really amusing.

However, this time she just bowed, not angry at all. "I'm sorry, master. I assure you it will not happen again."

Her response caught me off guard, and her monotonous tone gave me a bad feeling. I mentally prayed to the spirits that she was just acting to piss me off, or because she knew someone was listening. I voiced such a question, because if someone was listening I would definitely put a stop to it.

"Is someone listening to us?" I asked her, lowering my voice just in case.

She shook her head. "No one is listening, master," she said in the exact same tone as before.

She was starting to worry me now. I took a few tentative steps toward her and looked her straight in the eyes. What I saw made me freeze.

That wasn't Katara staring back at me. Her pupils were more dilated and her eyes were focused straight forward. They never flicked around the room and they never left my face. Her arms were folded behind her back and she stood straight up. She probably wasn't able to think clearly, based on what little she'd said to me so far.

They'd brainwashed her. The Dai Li agents had brainwashed Katara, _my servant, _without me knowing. That thought alone was enough to make me angrily storm off to Azula's room, but not before I growled out an order for Katara to stay in my room until I got back.

When I reached my sister's room I banged on her door as hard as I could. "Azula! Open the damn door!"

"Language, dear brother." I heard her lazily call from the other side. "Ty Lee, get the door. You're closer than I am."

Ty Lee opened the door as she was told and greeted me with her usual huge smile and cheerful, "Hi Zuko!"

I mumbled a hello back to her and stepped into my sister's room. She was lounging on her bed and Mai was sitting on the windowsill. Seeing Mai made me a little uncomfortable. We weren't broken up, but we really weren't dating either. It was a weird relationship, and it usually made our conversations awkward. But I reminded myself I wasn't here for Mai.

I walked right up to Azula and scowled down at her. She looked up at me, clearly irritated. "What?" she asked.

"Call. Off. Your damn. Agents." I told her. By itself it didn't really make much sense, but I was too angry to form coherent sentences.

"Um, what?" Azula asked again.

I breathed through my nose to calm myself down a bit. "Your Dai Li agents brainwashed my personal assistant, _without _me knowing. I want them gone. _Now._"

Azula's eyes widened and I remembered Ty Lee and Mai were present. I had just assumed she'd told them. I didn't really care at this point, however.

Mai stood up. "Wait, the Dai Li's here?" she asked. She focused her icy stare on Azula and crossed her arms. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Well, it was _supposed _to be a secret between just me and Zuko, which he just ruined," Azula said as she glared at me. But she dropped her glare and her expression turned suspicious. "Your servant's the water tribe girl, right? I wasn't aware they brainwashed her. Why do you even care? You know she doesn't want to be here, you don't like her, and she doesn't like following orders. I personally like her better as a brainless puppet." She smirked at this last statement, as though the thought of Katara as a puppet was the best thing that could ever happen to her.

"Wait…" I heard Ty Lee say from behind me. "A water tribe girl? Is it the same girl with the cute brother who traveled with the avatar?"

I turned and nodded to her. She squealed. "Eeeeeeee! That's so funny! Can I say hi to her?"

I nearly banged my head against the wall at this. I could tell from Azula's expression that she wasn't far from doing the same thing. Ty Lee could be so…overly annoying sometimes. "No, you can't. She's been brainwashed, she won't remember you." I told her. I really aimed the comment at Azula, who seemed unfazed by it. Ty Lee's face fell.

Azula sighed impatiently. "Look, if all you want it to yell at me for something I didn't do, kindly leave. I really don't want you here."

Like I even wanted to be here. "Just tell me how to fix her."

"No can do brother; I don't know how. Go find the agents and ask them yourselves." My sister told me. They wouldn't tell me even if I asked. They just don't like me, like everyone else on the planet. Azula knows this.

She caught the look of absolute rage on my face and smiled. "Whoops, I forgot. That'll be a problem, won't it? Oh well, I guess you'll just have to ask around. Or maybe you can go ask Uncle…"

I stormed out of the room the minute the comment left her lips. She was probably laughing because she knows how much her words stung. I've never met a person who gets so much joy out of my misery.

I got back to my room and told Katara she had no more duties for the day. After she bowed and exited (something that really didn't seem natural to her), I sat down on my bed and contemplated what I was going to do. My best bet was definitely Uncle, but he probably hates me too much to tell me anything. I guess I'll spend tomorrow digging around my house.

Agni only knows how I'm going to fix this.

_~~~~Zutara~~~~_

I felt we needed a little Azula in here somewhere. I know, I know; five months and nothing particularly exciting happens. But don't worry. I promise you, there wont be another gap between chapters this long. By the way, thank you all so much for waiting patiently for this chapter! It makes me so happy to see my work is being read:3

Now, on another note, anyone know when the Legend of Korra starts? :D I'm so excited!

And Thanksgiving's tomorrow, so, have a happy Thanksgiving!


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